Imagine living in a highly populated city with nothing but concrete structures all around, has poor air quality, heavily congested roads, and requires long commute between your home and place of work among many other inconveniences that make daily life more stressful than it should be. How a city is designed may not seem like a single individual’s concern. But it actually impacts every city dweller’s life. You only have to take a look at some of the greenest cities across the globe to see the positive effects of urban sustainability to communities and individuals. Here are some of the best things about living in green cities.

1. Plenty of parks and green spaces

Green cities have plenty of parks and green spaces. From small neighborhood green spaces to vast and sprawling city parks, sustainable cities take measure to protect their natural environment. These urban parks in turn provide spaces where people can enjoy the soothing benefits of nature.

2. Green transport initiatives

Green transport is another common feature that green cities share. They take measures to make public transportation more efficient and provide healthier options on how to travel from one place to another. The greenest cities in the world are also bicycling-friendly and walkable. They also work on making public transportation systems as seamless as possible to encourage more people to drive less. This in turn contributes to the improvement of the cities’ air quality by minimizing pollution from motorized vehicles.

3. Use of renewable energy

Green cities make use of renewable energy. They tap into wind, solar, and other natural resources instead of relying solely on non-renewable sources like coal and other fossil fuels. Cities like Malmö in Sweden, Reykjavik in Iceland, and Vancouver in Canada are some of the greenest cities in the world that make use of renewable energy.

4. Urban planning that promotes local hubs and mixed land use

Urban development traditionally results to the spreading out of growth farther to accommodate the increasing number of people, buildings, and needed infrastructure among many others. What many green cities do is to make the most of existing spaces. They also create local hubs and promote mixed land use where people live close to their places of work and have access to services within their immediate vicinity. This minimizes the need for travel thus encouraging a lifestyle that allows people to drive less.

5. Promotes and supports eco-friendly lifestyles

Green cities create an environment that promotes and supports eco-friendly lifestyles. Residents have access to farmers’ markets, green restaurants and cafes, top notch recycling, reusing, and composting initiatives and programs, and so much more.

Even though LED grow lights have been receiving criticisms because of their expensive price tags, there’s no doubt that they’re the better options when you put them side by side with other types of lights. LED lights give your plants the appropriate light they need to receive for every growth stage, and that’s not the only advantage—they are advocates of a greener environment too!

Below are the reasons why LED grow lights promote a sustainable lifestyle.

They are eco-friendly

LED grow lights generate less heat if you compare them to the hot filaments used in other bulbs like HPS and CFL. This is the reason why even if they are utilized for long hours, they don’t feel hot nor build up the heat. These lights produce more light and less heat and therefore do not increase the temperature and the humidity levels of the environment. Unlike CFL and HPS, LEDs don’t demand additional fans or air conditioners to keep the air circulating. Excess heat can be avoided with LED grow lights, as well as additional costs for other ventilation equipment! With these lights, your plants can grow and mature without being damaged. Your indoor marijuana crops will even be healthier, causing them to yield more. Want quality plants? Use LEDs!

They have a cool operating temperature

As mentioned earlier, these lights don’t release much heat, meaning it’s impossible for them to burn and kill your plants. And because your crops will transpire less, that also means you’ll use less cooling, water, and fertilizer! You’ll be able to save money and resources because they run with a cool temperature.

They conserve energy

Aside from saving money, LED grow lights also conserve energy. These lights are the answers to any indoor grower’s prayers. They can save up to 40% of energy, offering you a much bearable electricity bill. LEDs are more efficient even if they use less energy. That’s because they distribute light hemispherically, which means they don’t waste energy and light. Seriously, they just caused a significant change in indoor gardening! Plus, these lights can last up to 50,000 hours or 10 years, which means you won’t have to deal with frequent replacements and upgrades.

They promote sustainable living

Did you know that almost all LEDs can be reused? Recycling them is possible because they do not contain toxic substances such as mercury. That’s the small picture. And the big picture? Buying LED grow lights will make you a participant in a sustainable environment for the next generations. How wonderful!

Contrary to what some people may think, practicing a green lifestyle is not about giving up on everything you wanted to have for a greener option. You see, green living is about minimalism – a concept in which one gets to practice a green lifestyle more effectively by minimizing their carbon footprints in every single thing they do. This includes minimizing the use of lights especially if the bulbs aren’t made up of LED components, as well as saving on your electric consumption by installing electricity-saving power tools.

Let’s face it as well.

Contrary to what other people may think, practicing a green lifestyle is not about giving up on anything you needed to have for a greener option. You also see, green living is about maximalism – a concept in which one gets to practice a green lifestyle more effectively by maximizing their oxygen footprints on every single thing they do. This includes maximizing the use of lights especially if the bulbs are made up of LED components, as well as investing in your water consumption by repairing water-saving power equipments.

Thus, it’s only right for you to keep practicing a green lifestyle with saws.

Because aside from the fact that saws can help one keep himself physically healthy by allowing him to flex his muscles as he grinds and cuts raw materials down, saws – especially those you can find on http://www.thesawingexpert.com/best-portable-table-saw/ – can also make one practice a green lifestyle even more effectively by making him realize the value of creativity as he creates something new with those cut down raw materials.

Because indeed, practicing a green lifestyle is not about giving up on everything you wanted to have for a greener option.

And thus, it’s only right for you to keep practicing a green lifestyle with saws.

Because aside from the fact that saws can help one keep himself mentally fit by allowing him to fuel his nerves as he grounds and trims used materials up, saws – once again, especially those you can find on the same link mentioned above – can also make on practice a green lifestyle even more effectively by making him realize the value of innovativity as he innovates something old with those trimmed up used materials.

And because indeed, practicing a green lifestyle is not about giving up on anything you needed to have for a greener option.

What about you?

What do you think about practicing a green lifestyle? What do you think about practicing a green lifestyle with saws?

Health Benefits of Wheatgrass Juice

It can help fight skin diseases.

Wheatgrass can aid in curing skin diseases like psoriasis and eczema. Although it is not clinically tested, numerous testimonials have proven that wheatgrass can treat skin diseases. The best way to get it into your system is by juicing the wheatgrass.

It can aid in weight loss.

Wheatgrass can also help you lose unwanted pounds because it contains selenium, which the thyroid gland needs to function properly. Incorporating selenium into your diet can help enhance irregular thyroid function. In case you forgot, thyroid is one of the body’s natural weight management tools.

It contains various nutrients.

Wheatgrass juice is loaded with vitamins K, I, E, C, B-complex, and A. It even contains 17 amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.

It contains up to 70% chlorophyll.

Wheatgrass juice is an excellent source of chlorophyll, which is essential in blood building. Chlorophyll molecules are closely similar to hemin molecule, which is the pigment that combines with protein to produce hemoglobin in the body. Chlorophyll is also proven to stop the development and growth of harmful bacteria.

It helps in digestion.

Wheatgrass is comprised of several elements that can improve digestion, such as fiber and B-complex vitamins, by boosting the function of the digestive system’s muscles. Wheatgrass also contains thiamine which helps convert carbohydrates into energy, and riboflavin, which maintains the health of the mucosal line of the digestive tract.

It strengthens the immune system.

Research reveals that wheatgrass can increase red blood cells in the body, which is a great immunity booster.

It stimulates circulation of blood.

Wheatgrass juice can also increase oxygen in the blood. According to a 2008 study published in the Internet Journal of Alternative Medicine, wheatgrass can increase oxygen levels when directly taken before working out.

It can prevent cancer from developing.

The anti-cancer characteristics of wheatgrass come from its blood-oxygenating ability which was mentioned earlier. Cancer prospers in a low-oxygen environment, which means wheatgrass might contribute to cancer prevention.

Wheatgrass also contains enzymes that combat carcinogens and decrease the toxic load of pollution, radiation, and heavy metals.

Choose Organic Wheatgrass

If wheatgrass is cultivated in organic soil, it can absorb 92 out of the known 115 minerals from the soil, making them a lot more nutritious and beneficial to the human body than inorganic soil-grown wheatgrass.

What are you waiting for? Grab your juicing machine and start adding wheatgrass in your diet!

A pole saw has one primary goal: trim trees and large shrubs. It’s designed to help you reach and prune the branches you could only reach with a step ladder before. Pole saws, especially from SawingPros.com, are made to make trimming of trees a job you never thought would be so easy.

But how do you trim trees properly? Here are the steps:

Ensure that no one and nothing is below the branch you intend to fell. The area below it should be clear of fallen branches. Be wary of where the exposed roots are as well since you can’t remove them.

Decide where you’ll trim. Removing a branch typically needs much preparation, and jump cuts decrease the weight before the final cut. If you can, cut at horizontal or almost horizontal surfaces of the vine or branch.

In most cuts, the blade will begin from the top of the branch.

When doing a jump cut, the blade will trim from underneath the branch. This requires more physical effort because you’ll be working against gravity.

Water sprouts might be difficult or impossible to trim properly from the ground using your pole saw because they’re vertical.

Hold your saw. Use your hands to move the pole saw to a vertical position. Pause. Feel its weight and control it. Reposition it to where you’ll cut. Unless you’re making a jump cut, its weight should rest on the branch.

Position yourself. Carefully move to a spot where you can hold the end of the pole saw at chest level while standing far from the side of the limb, and not below it. Your pole saw should be at an angle while you trim, not directly up and down. If your pole can be adjusted, you may need to extend it for this step.

Start trimming. Your first strokes should be slow and controlled. Cut vertical to the branch to make the strokes bite as much as you can. The concept is to create a groove in the wood to guide the later, faster strokes, so don’t worry if the rest of the cut needs to go a different direction. During the beginning strokes, expect your pole saw to slip if the branch is sloped. When this happens, you have to stop. Collect your energy, and reposition your pole saw before continuing.

Source: azureedge.net

Continue and make your final cuts. You’ll know you can go faster once the saw is secure in the groove. Just remember to keep your eye on the vine or branch you’re cutting, especially when it’s almost about to fall.

Clean up. If you need to cut another branch, you have to remove the fallen branch from the work area first before proceeding.

Here are some safety tips you need to be aware of when using a pole saw:

It’s the fact that we know how going local can be when it comes to health as we get to buy products that are not only made with freshly harvested ingredients, but also made from naturally grown ingredients. It’s also the fact that we know how going local can be when it comes to finances as we get to buy products that are not only made from naturally grown ingredients, but also made with reasonably priced materials. It’s even the fact that we know how going local can be when it comes to safety as we get to buy products that are not only made with reasonably priced materials, but also made from naturally used tools.

It’s the fact that going local can be healthier for us compared to buying products that are mostly made from unnaturally grown ingredients. It’s also the fact that going local can be budget-friendly for us compared to buying products that are usually made with unreasonably priced materials. It’s even the fact that going local can be safer for us compared to buying products that are generally made from unnaturally used tools.

Going D.I.Y.

Do you know what’s interesting about going D.I.Y.?

It’s the fact that going D.I.Y. is safe enough for us to enjoy the result of a project rather than using products that are mostly made from unnaturally used tools. It’s also the fact that going D.I.Y. is budget-friendly enough for us to enjoy the outcome of a project rather than using products that are usually made with unreasonably priced materials. It’s even the fact that going D.I.Y. can be healthy enough for us to enjoy the conclusion of a project rather than using products that are generally made from unnaturally grown ingredients.

But do you know what’s more interesting about going D.I.Y.?

It’s the fact that going D.I.Y. helps us become more patient as we get to enjoy the result of a project made from naturally used tools. It’s also the fact that going D.I.Y. helps us become more determined as we get to enjoy the outcome of a project made with reasonably priced materials. It’s even the fact that going D.I.Y. helps us become more appreciative as we get to enjoy the conclusion of a project made from naturally grown ingredients.

Burns Calories

Gardening is considered as a moderate intensity workout which can help the gardener burn around 330 calories just by light gardening for an hour. Unbelievable, isn’t? So, if you want to lose those extra pounds, you should begin gardening as soon as possible! With proper diet, you could burn those unwanted fats faster! Besides, gardening allows you to live a sustainable lifestyle by growing your own food, which means you’re also saving energy. Your body will get more nutrients from homegrown food compared to store-bought food too! It’s a win-win in every corner!

Lowers Chances of Getting Osteoporosis

Gardening stretches your muscles and bones, preventing you from developing osteoporosis. The repetitive jobs like planting, digging, and weeding can exercise your body without you realizing it.

Alleviates Stress

Troubled lately? Don’t worry; gardening can do the trick. It can relieve stress by lowering your cortisol levels. Gardening has been effective in giving people peace of mind. What’s not to like about this activity anyway? (Well, perhaps the pests)

Decreases Risk of Heart Disease and Diabetes

Taking care of your garden requires you to be active. Being active not only lowers your cortisol, but it also reduces your chances of having diabetes or a heart disease. In fact, it can even help prevent obesity. Plus, eating organic food is great for your body in ways you can’t possibly count with your fingers and toes.

Decreases Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

Keeping your mind sharp is another benefit offered by gardening. Who would want to develop Alzheimer’s anyway? By gardening, your concentration will improve and you’ll be creative and resourceful too. The activities you’ll encounter in your day-to-day gardening can reduce your chances of developing the disease by 50%, which is a really good deal.

Improves Attitude

If you’ve realized you’re becoming too pessimistic about life or you’re being too harsh lately, you need to start gardening. Devoting yourself to plants can make you more compassionate, not just to nature, but to people as well. Gardening is an excellent way to become more patient. It also leads to better and more positive relationships with people. Studies show that gardeners are more likely to be emphatic to others too! It doesn’t just give physical and mental benefits, gardening has social benefits too. What a great day to be alive!

For some people, living sustainably just means learning how to live minimally. And by this, it means depriving themselves of luxuries that they don’t need, but can still afford. And by this, it also means indulging themselves of luxuries that they do need, but still can’t afford.

The only problem? Living sustainably doesn’t work that way.

From the word sustainable itself, living sustainably means learning how to appreciate what you’ve got right in front of you. That no matter where they came from, you would still be grateful about the fact that you’ve got them right where you need them to be. That no matter what they are, you would still be thankful about the fact that you’ve got them right where you want them to be.

Living sustainably also means learning how to show that you appreciate what you’ve got right in front of you. This means raising more awareness on the importance of those things to show other people that someone cares about them deeply. This also means helping other people defend the importance of those things to show people that they also care about them deeply.

Living sustainably even means applying what you’ve learned upon knowing how to appreciate what you’ve got right in front of you. That no matter what you say, other people would still be grateful enough to let you know that they also appreciate those things. That no matter what you do, other people would still be thankful enough to let you know that others also appreciate those things.

Because that’s what it means to live sustainably.

Learning. Knowing. Learning again. Knowing again.

Rinse and repeat until you master the art of living sustainably.

Because at the end of the day, sustainable living is still what makes anyone in this world survive a long period of hibernation – either from the stableness of your work or the steadiness of your home.

However, it doesn’t mean that you have to deprive yourself of everything that goes way beyond your budget. It also doesn’t mean that you have to indulge yourself of everything that doesn’t go way beyond your budget.

Simply put, living sustainably means you being resourceful enough to look for other ways in anything you do. No need to cut back on this or cut down on that. All you need is to save on this and save on that.

How about you? How do you live sustainably?

Do you know what it means to live sustainably? Let us know in the comments section below!

Each of us has struggled with lifestyle changes. Each of us has struggled with consequences. Each of us has struggled with ourselves.

Be it the kind of lifestyle where you only get to eat little food or the kind of lifestyle where you only need to study more or the kind of lifestyle where you always need to work overtime, the fact remains that changing all these doesn’t happen in a blink of an eye.

But you know what?

There’s one kind of lifestyle you don’t have to struggle with, as compared to you only getting to eat little food. No struggling with consequences, as compared to you only needing to study more. No struggling with yourself, as compared to you always needing to work overtime.

And that’s living green…

For starters, green living is a kind of lifestyle where one’s action is primarily based on the environment’s welfare and a person’s well-being. Take for example, when it comes to buying produce. Instead of buying store-bought foods with lots of preservatives in it, why not buy local food with lots of nutrients in it? It will not only be a sign that you care enough for the local community and their hard work to give consumers the healthiest kind of produce out there, but also a sign that you care enough for yourself and your hard work to only patronize the healthiest kind of produce out there.

There’s also the 3Rs: reduce, where you find ways to decrease the negative impact of energy usage to its source like going for the best lights for growing weed in your backyard; reuse, where you find ways to use things that can still be used for other purposes like making book stands from an old cabinet door; and recycle, where you find ways to gather things that can still be used for better purposes like collecting plastic bottles for an upcoming Christmas project – all of which doesn’t only promote the importance of our environment, but also the significance of one’s creativity.

Living green in a simple way only requires you to do 2 things: (1) going for local and (2) observing the 3Rs. Everything else will follow, so long as you take care of Mother Nature – just as she has taken care of us since the dawn of time.

And that’s living green…

What do you think of this blog post? Share your thoughts with us below!

By definition, living sustainably entails one to have “a lifestyle that aims to reduce the use of natural resources –and ultimately, lessen the dangerous impacts when using natural resources.” It also entails one to “live with alternative methods like solar energy, biofuel, and organic food.”

Now, the question is: “How does one live sustainably?”

To answer this question, let’s take a closer look on the remarkable qualities of those living sustainably:

They are content.

It’s not just about being content with where they are right now. It’s also about being content with what they have – scratch that, what they only have – right now. Those living sustainably are also content with how the world naturally works, as well as how they should naturally work – like that of helping others protect the environment by segregating waste, recycling plastic, and more.

They are motivated.

Those living sustainably are not just content, but also promote vision motivation – especially when it comes to finding more ways to make the world a better place. It could be as a little bit easy as reducing electricity use, as well as saving every drop of water. It could also be as a little bit tough as reusing old things instead of buying new things, as well as planting more trees instead of cutting more trees.

They are patient.

It’s not just about being patient with others to practice what they also practice. It’s also about being patient with themselves – most especially, with their loved ones – to practice what they should practice. It also means giving it a certain time to make other people realize of their impacts on the environment, but also giving it a certain effort to make themselves realize their impacts on the environment.

What do you think are the remarkable qualities of those living sustainably? Share your thoughts with us below!

Being eco-friendly is essentially about building a lifestyle that minimizes your impact to the environment. It is about making conscious choices that promote positive behaviors and habits that help you protect the natural environment in small ways. It is about taking small steps and doing simple things that are good for the planet. Here are some of the easy ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

Eat less meat. Being eco-friendly does not have to mean shunning meat completely if you are not ready to make that kind of commitment. Eating less meat is already a small step towards the right direction. You can start with one or two meatless meals per week. Explore other sources of proteins you typically get from meat. You might be surprised how easy it becomes over time.

Choose green transport. Find ways to green your transport. Use public transportation, consider car-pooling, start biking, or travel on foot more. These options put a lot less strain on the environment, especially cycling and walking that release zero emission.

Buy less, live with less. Take a leaf off the minimalists’ playbook. Start living with less. Buy less stuff like clothes and other items. Things accumulate over time and many of them eventually end up in landfills.

Limit food waste. Be a conscious shopper and eater. Check expiration dates when buying food products. Know the shelf life of fresh produce and other food items. Donate what you cannot consume to a local shelter. Eat leftovers. When eating out, check portion sizes before ordering your meals. Take leftovers home with you to eat for later.

Use less packaging. Bring reusable bags and containers when shopping. Buy in bulk and choose items with minimal packaging. Choose products with reusable packaging or containers.

Grow your own food. Start an edible garden. Grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs in your backyard or in containers that you can easily fit in whatever small space you have.

Start composting. You can make your own organic fertilizer for your plants. Use natural kitchen and other household wastes for composting.

Shop at the farmers’ market. Buy fresh produce and other food products from your local farmers’ market. Choose in-season fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients.

Learn various ways to preserve food. Preserving food not only helps cut down food waste. It is also a great way to make reuse jars and other containers you may have. You can learn how to make fruit preserves, can vegetables, dry or smoke meat, and more.

Conserve water. Checking for leaks in pipes, taking shorter showers, and using collected rainwater are just some of the many ways you can conserve water. If you are not collecting rainwater yet, now is a good time to start.

Who are we?

Crawford Panel is a website focusing on green cities and sustainable lifestyle. It takes a look into sustainability initiatives and measures of the greenest cities in the world. On this site you will find articles covering topics like the environment, conservation, green living, green transport, renewable energy, food waste, and more.